Chairman of the Tobinco Group of Companies, Nana Amo Tobbin I, prefers a total lockdown of the country to contain the spread of the ravaging coronavirus pandemic in the country.
He commended the government for coming out with some practical measures to tackle the Coronavirus pandemic but quickly added that a total lockdown of the country would have made a huge impact.
The business mogul was speaking on Atinka TV’s new programme, “COVID-19-The Impact”.
The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo last Friday announced a partial lockdown of Greater Accra, Kasoa, Tema and Greater Kumasi as part of measures to contain the spread of the pandemic.
The measures took effect on Monday at 1 am.
However, Nana Amo Tobbin I, who is also the President of the Pharmaceutical Division of the Association of Ghana Industries argued that the partial lockdown is not completely achieving its intended purpose.
He said the interval between the time of the declaration (Friday, March 27, 2020) and the start of the lockdown (Monday, March 30, 2020) allowed people to travel to areas that do not have reported cases.
He said the movement may have allowed persons who unknowingly have the virus to spread it as they travel across the country.
According to him, Wuhan in China, India and other countries which adopted the total lockdown policy are tackling the pandemic effectively.
Nana Amo Tobbin I, who also runs the biggest pharmaceutical company in West Africa, Entrance Pharmaceutical, was, however, optimistic that, Ghana will soon go for the total lockdown to tackle the pandemic.
Touching on homelessness amidst the lockdown, Nana Amo Tobbin I, said the government should have considered housing Kayayee’s and other homeless people before announcing the lockdown.
His comments follow reports that two cargo trucks transporting kayayei's (head porters) to Walewale in the Northern Region were busted in Ejisu in the Ashanti Region.
The kayayei's were fleeing Accra after the government announced a two-week lockdown to contain and stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in Ghana.
Nana Amo Tobbin I explained that the government could have considered housing these homeless people in the dormitories of the various Senior High Schools within the period of the lockdown since the students are currently home while the dormitories are empty.
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Please Mr Tobinco, though support you on total shutdown on condition that I may have some money to stay home with. Please Mr Tobinco even in this 2weeks I am struggling through
TOBINCO is trying to save his business...and not me. After all, if we all die, then who is he going to sell his drugs to? This COVID 19 is white man's disease, just as EBOLA is black man's disease. My life as a black man should not be negatively impacted by fear and rumour mongering by old people in authority as a result of white man disease. Meanwhile, in SWEDEN, life goes on as normal
Kojo and Don, Bare in mind no government can please all when it comes to such situations. This is the reason the Almighty God could not make everybody rich but life itself are stages we all go through. Also, we must know Kayayess are not the only homeless in Accra as America and all countries in the world do have homeless people. The order stay home does not mean a rented house or kiosk, but dont move out from your place of rest to Town to mingle unnecessary. Let me ask, where do so called Kayayes sleep in the night and when its raining? And who told Kayayes to come to Accra anyway? We all have the responsibilities to take care of our lives as I know many Kayayes who have rented houses and kiosk they stay in here in Accra. Those who has no place top sleep did not plan their lives well as they earn more than 15ghc per day. Calculate that by 28days = 420ghc per month. Houses cost 100ghc per month in the areas they trade. Kofi
@Kojo you tell him! Such people can't think 1 meter beyond their business and personal interests. Even partial lockdown look at the chaos it brought! Funny and quite tragically enough there are some people who only think of their families and church members as the only people worth considering when taking such decisions! I was visibly shocked to see some one who should know better behaving like that! They don't know that kayayes are also created in the image and likeness of God and that God loves them too. And indeed they are also Ghanaians with the same rights as guaranteed in the constitution for the so-called elite.
Aha, please just keep your advise. Total lock-down!. Let's not push for total lock-down just because we are not affected when it is implemented; think about the plight of others. For any lock-down pharmaceutical entities will operate so you and your business will not be affected.